Longtime Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo released Between The Times And Tides, his first purely song-oriented, non-experimental solo outing, March 20 on Matador Records. The album, a disc full of shimmering, melodic guitar-based rock, is also aptly titled, since it comes at what is — at best — a "between" period for Sonic Youth fans, whose husband-and-wife heroes, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, announced their divorce late last year.

Lamb of God’s first blatant attempt at expanding their sound—and the receptiveness of their audience—was heard on 2009’s Wrath. On that record, they moved away from the multitracked guitars and modern production of the massively popular Sacrament and returned to a purer live guitar sound.

I recently sat down with one of the brains behind the metal monster that is Testament, riff master Eric Peterson. We talked about all things metal -- including gear, practicing, touring and more -- in this two-part interview. Keep your eyes peeled for Testament's upcoming release, The Dark Roots Of Earth.

Last month, TC Electronic officially released the new John Petrucci Dreamscape Signature TonePrint Pedal, the first custom pedal to capture the Dream Theater guitarist's signature tones in one small package.

In love with the instrument from the start, Stefanie Drootin has been unwaveringly focused on all things bass. She was never a guitar player first. She didn’t take on the bass because no one else would. Drootin’s brother took her to see fIREHOSE when she was a lass of 15 and bassist Mike Watt simply blew her away.

Award-winning producer/songwriter/guitarist John Shanks clearly recalls the first time he heard Van Halen. “I was 12 years old, doing my homework, and I put their first album on,” he says. “All of a sudden, ‘Eruption’ comes on and you’re like, ‘What?’ No one had ever heard that. It freaked us all out. To me, it was Hendrix, Beck, Page, Gilmour and Clapton. That was it — the big five. And of course The Beatles. And then, one day, Van Halen.”

When Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth shows up at Guitar World HQ for our interview, it's already past 5 p.m. on a press-packed day. In spite of that, he showed up good spirits, with with the same youthful energy that has made him one of the most electric performers in thrash metal for over three decades now.

Not many bands step outside of the box in terms of metal classification. Turisas, a “battle metal” band from Hämeenlinna, Finland, has demonstrated that folk music and metal can go hand in hand. A year after their latest release, 2011's Stand Up and Fight (Century Media), the band are setting out on their first headlining tour in the U.S. -- Paganfest America Pt. III. The tour, which also features Alestorm, Arkona and Huntress, begins March 29 in Baltimore, Maryland, and wraps up April 19 in Tempe, Arizona.